1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates an image processing system and a printer system using the same, and more particularly to an image processing system in which drawing operations are executed in parallel and a printer system using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional example of an image processing system is composed of three image processors provided for color images, image processors manipulating an overlay image independent from the color images, and local memories. The drawing processors are possible to operate in accordance with the same system clock, and draw four images in the local memories at a time, resulting in a drawing output at high speed.
However, there are the following problems in the conventional example of the image processing system. That is, in case that a plurality of image processors are used, the system configuration of the image processing system is limited in accordance with the number of colors. In the above example, the image processing system needs to have the three image processors for carrying out parallel processing of the color images other than an image processor for the overlay image. However, the system configuration with three or more image processors is difficult in the above reference. Also, in an output unit such as a printer which uses a color mixing method of C (cyanine), M (magenta), and Y (Yellow), it is difficult to divide the image in color and then to draw in the local memories.
Generally, it is not possible to output black beautifully in the three colors C, M and Y. For this reason, K (black) is often provided independently from the three colors C, M and Y. In this K image production, after the CMY image, the K image production and the correction of C, M and Y are necessitated in accordance with UCR (Under Color Removal). In this case, calculations such as K=f(C,M,Y), C=Cxe2x88x92f(C,M,Y), M=Mxe2x88x92f(C,M,Y), Y=Yxe2x88x92f(C,M,Y) are carried out.
In conjunction with the above description, an image processing apparatus is described in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei 6-149989). In this reference, a convolution calculation circuit carries out convolution calculations to a plurality of blocks divided from a composite image signal in parallel using a plurality of image processors (46a to 46d). An inter-image calculation circuit carries out inter-image calculations to the plurality of blocks divided from the composite image signal in parallel using the plurality of image processors (46a to 46d). A switching circuit (143) selectively switches between the convolution calculations and the inter-image calculations.
Also, an image processing is described in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei 6-214555). In this reference, a plurality of drawing commands issued from a host computer (1) are distributed to a plurality of drawing modules (M1, M2, . . . ) by a control processor (31). The drawing modules (M1, M2, . . . ) execute the plurality drawing commands in parallel to produce and output data for every pixel. A pixel processor (32) selects one of the output data from the drawing modules (M1, M2, . . . ) to supply to a display processor (33). The display processor (33) converts the supplied data into an analog signal and outputs to a CRT (2) as a video signal. Thus, the image processing is carried out effectively at high speed without mixture of images.
Also, a color image processing is described in Japanese Patent No. 2757641. In this reference, first to third image processors are allocated to color components, have the same architecture and execute the same program with the same clock such that a color image is processed in units of color components in parallel. First to third image memories are connected to the first to third image processors by local buses and store data to be processed or to have been processed by the first to third image processors for every color component. A fourth image processor for an overlay image has the same architecture as the first to third image processors and executes the same program with the same clock as the first to third image processors. A fourth image memory has the same memory structure as the first to third image memories, and is connected to the fourth image processor by a local bus. A host processor is connected to the first to fourth image processors by a system bus and starts control programs of the first to fourth image processors simultaneously or individually in accordance with a specifying content of a control table for control and management of the first to fourth image processors. The overlay image is processed independently from the color image.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing system in which drawing operations can be carried out in parallel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image processing system in which a drawing instruction is divided into a plurality of new drawing instructions when the drawing instruction is over blocks or bands.
Still object of the present invention is to provide a printer system using any of the above image processing systems.
In order to achieve an aspect of the present invention, an image processing system includes a separating section, a plurality of drawing sections and an output controller. The separating section divides drawing instructions for a full image data into lists of drawing instructions for partial image data corresponding to blocks. The plurality of drawing sections executes the lists of drawing instruction to produce the partial image data for the blocks. The output controller sequentially reads out the partial image data based on a block position such that the full image data is outputted.
Here, the separating section determines whether each of the drawing instructions is associated with two or more of the blocks. The separating section converts the drawing instruction into a plurality of drawing instructions when the drawing instruction is associated with two or more of the blocks, and then separates the drawing instructions including the converted drawing instruction in place of the drawing instruction in units of blocks to produce the lists of drawing instructions.
When the number of the blocks is equal to the number of the drawing sections, the plurality of drawing sections execute the lists of drawing instructions in parallel.
When the number of the blocks is more than the number of the drawing sections, the plurality of drawing sections execute the lists of drawing instructions in parallel in units of sets of blocks corresponding to the drawing sections.
The separating section may give the lists of drawing sections to the plurality of drawing sections in order of positions of blocks in the full image data. In this case, the separating section may give a remaining one of the lists of drawing sections to one of the plurality of drawing sections, when the one drawing section ends execution of the given lists of drawing instructions.
The separating section may be provided in a host computer, and the plurality of drawing sections and the output controller are provided in an image processing apparatus connected to the host computer via a network.
In order to achieve another aspect of the present invention, a printer system includes a separating section, a plurality of drawing sections, an output controller and a printer mechanism. The separating section divides drawing instructions for a full image data into lists of drawing instructions for partial image data corresponding to blocks. The plurality of drawing sections execute the lists of drawing instruction to produce the partial image data for the blocks. The output controller sequentially reads out the partial image data based on a block position such that the full image data is outputted, when all the partial image data are drawn. The printer mechanism prints the full image data based on the read out partial image data.
The separating section determines whether each of the drawing instructions is associated with two or more of the blocks, converts the drawing instruction into a plurality of drawing instructions when the drawing instruction is associated with two or more of the blocks, and separates the drawing instructions including the converted drawing instruction in place of the drawing instruction in units of blocks to produce the lists of drawing instructions.
When the number of the blocks is equal to the number of the drawing sections, the plurality of drawing sections execute the lists of drawing instructions in parallel.
When the number of the blocks is more than the number of the drawing sections, the plurality of drawing sections execute the lists of drawing instructions in parallel in units of sets of blocks corresponding to the drawing sections.
The separating section may give the lists of drawing sections to the plurality of drawing sections in order of positions of blocks in the full image data. In this case, the separating section may give a remaining one of the lists of drawing sections to one of the plurality of drawing sections, when the one drawing section ends execution of the given lists of drawing instructions.
The separating section may be provided in a host computer, and the plurality of drawing sections and the output controller may be provided in a printer connected to the host computer via a network.
In order to still another aspect of the present invention, a printer system includes a separating section, a plurality of drawing sections, an output controller and a printer mechanism. The separating section divides an region for a full image data into blocks for partial image data with conversion of drawing instruction. The plurality of drawing sections draw the partial image data for the blocks. The output controller sequentially reads out the partial image data based on a block position such that the full image data is outputted, when all the partial image data are drawn. The printer mechanism prints the full image data based on the read out partial image data.